Player Discussion RD Nikita Zaitsev

[Micklebot]

Excellent segue.

 

[Boud]

Maybe he couldn't stand playing for Babcock and it affected his play. After all why would Smith endorse bringing a guy in that could cost him his job?

I don't know ask Boucher he was playing Ceci 25 minutes a night almost begging to be fired.

 

[supsens]

I don't know ask Boucher he was playing Ceci 25 minutes a night almost begging to be fired.

He didn’t have much of a choice.

 

[BK201]

I don't know ask Boucher he was playing Ceci 25 minutes a night almost begging to be fired.

Our defense was garbage.

 

[Boud]

He didn’t have much of a choice.

Our defense was garbage.

I understand what you're both saying, where I'm going is that coaches irrationally love players all the time, player that are simply not as good as they are used. Almost every single coach has at least one player they love even though it's not warranted.

The best example I can think of is Alain Vignault and Dan Girardi.

 

[Sweatred]

I understand what you're both saying, where I'm going is that coaches irrationally love players all the time, player that are simply not as good as they are used. Almost every single coach has at least one player they love even though it's not warranted.

The best example I can think of is Alain Vignault and Dan Girardi.

J. Martin and Andreas Dackell

 

[Masked]

J. Martin and Andreas Dackell

Replace Dackell with Jody Hull.

And you can't talk about this without bringing up Keenan and Matteau.

 

[supsens]

I understand what you're both saying, where I'm going is that coaches irrationally love players all the time, player that are simply not as good as they are used. Almost every single coach has at least one player they love even though it's not warranted.

The best example I can think of is Alain Vignault and Dan Girardi.

It’s not irrational, they play the hard working, team first, do what’s asked of you guys as a reward so the other lesser players that want ice time follow along.

 

[HSF]

he is a superior defensemen than Ceci. Cant believe we got brown on top of it

 

[TheDebater]

I already know he is better than Ceci because I do not get mad at him and yell at my TV the way I used to with Ceci.

 

[JungleBeat]

he is a superior defensemen than Ceci. Cant believe we got brown on top of it

Being better than Ceci isn’t exactly tough and Brown isn’t enough compensation in helping Toronto clear cap room for five years.

 

[HSF]

Being better than Ceci isn’t exactly tough and Brown isn’t enough compensation in helping Toronto clear Calgary room for five years.

Zaitzev is a good defensemen though who is locked in its def worth it if he keeps playing like this

brown is also an excellent player from whst I have seen here and in toroto

 

[swiftwin]

Being better than Ceci isn’t exactly tough and Brown isn’t enough compensation in helping Toronto clear Calgary room for five years.

I don't care what it does for Toronto. I just care what it does for us.

 

[Boud]

I feel like Zaitsev is pretty much worth what he's getting paid.

 

[TheDebater]

Being better than Ceci isn’t exactly tough and Brown isn’t enough compensation in helping Toronto clear cap room for five years.

Have you seen/heard what their top 4 players are getting paid? They are far from one Ceci contract off the books away from being in a good cap situation.

 

[JD1]

A lot of guys get pretty caught up in crapping on PD and every move he makes and in labeling this team historically bad. We are for sure missing some goal scoring talent, but on the back end going into the 18/19 season we had an historically inexperienced starting 6 D to the point that it was a graphic on broadcasts and discussed extensively

Ceci is gone. Harpur is gone. Lajoie and Jaros played probably 125 between them last year and they are in the A. DeMelo is slotted down. Boro has a better partner in DeMelo than he did at any point last year. Zaitsev certainly appears more steady in the early going than Ceci. Brannstrom is 20 and he is showing that he clearly belongs.

Our D is considerably better than it was last year, at least in the early going thus far.

 

[SpezDispenser]

I feel like Zaitsev is pretty much worth what he's getting paid.

I agree. He looks quite solid.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

He didn’t have much of a choice.

love this

 

[Micklebot]

It's interesting that last year, Ceci was tied at the hip with some rookie Dmen in Lajoie and Wolanin. On the other hand, Zaitsev has the pleasure of playing with Chabot this year. Not exactly similar situations.

All that said, Zaitsev has looked fine. He's playing in a role that imo suits his skillset.

 

[swiftwin]

It's interesting that last year, Ceci was tied at the hip with some rookie Dmen in Lajoie and Wolanin. On the other hand, Zaitsev has the pleasure of playing with Chabot this year. Not exactly similar situations.

All that said, Zaitsev has looked fine. He's playing in a role that imo suits his skillset.

Ceci is getting to play with Rielly this season, and it hasn't looked good:

 

[coladin]

Ceci is getting to play with Rielly this season, and it hasn't looked good:

I watched this last night, I belly laughed at the horror movie reference

 

[Silencio]

Being better than Ceci isn’t exactly tough and Brown isn’t enough compensation in helping Toronto clear cap room for five years.

Well he is scoring at a 78 point pace...

 

[Sensmileletsgo]

I've been happy with him so far. He doesn't do a whole lot out there but is pretty steady. Some people said he was just as bad as Ceci at the time of the trade. It's only been 6 games but he looks way better than Ceci so that's a relief.

 

[DueDiligence]

I've been happy with him so far. He doesn't do a whole lot out there but is pretty steady. Some people said he was just as bad as Ceci at the time of the trade. It's only been 6 games but he looks way better than Ceci so that's a relief.

Zaitsev and Chabot are a very good pairing. Zaitsev just does his job, doesn't gamble or get out of position, sits back and allows TC to do his thing offensively. Give them another 20 or so games to get really comfortable and see how good they can become.
A number one D pairing doesn't require two equally talented guys they just need to fit well together.

 

[BankStreetParade]

Zaitsev is vastly superior to Ceci in virtually every way imaginable. Babcock is making his living running players out of town. People will look back on this trade someday as a huge negative for the Leafs, especially after they fire Babcock.

*hot take over*